一日一成语【56】beat the air

beat the air

我们都知道“打”是件不应该做的事，但生活中总是会出现许多“打”的场合。大人打小孩是出于恨铁不成钢的爱子之心：人打动物是为了迫使它就范从命；人与人之间的斗争，或是为了报复，或是为了泄愤。但被打的人或动物，都是有血有肉，有感觉的肌体。否则你打他，他却不感到痛，岂不是白打了？beat the air正是这种“白打、白费劲”的意思。任你打得再凶狠，空气是不会感到痛的，不过是白费了你自己力气的徒劳之举而已：

His speech merely beat the air as his argument was not convincing at all.
他的演说一点用也没有，因为他的观点不令人信服。

He is as stubborn as a mule. All those who have tried to persuade him have only been beating the air.
他固执得很，所有试图劝说他的人都在白费口舌。

After searching for the criminal in the thick jungle for three whole days, the police had to admit that they had been beating the air.
在浓密的丛林中搜索了整整三天后，警方不得不承认，他们的力气白费了。